Guilsfield kids spearhead road safety campaign

Children at Guilsfield Primary School have teamed up with their concerned Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and staff to launch a campaign to improve road safety in the village.

Parents have reported that traffic, especially around picking up and dropping off time, has become a real concern leading to the possibility of a real tragedy.

The Community Council has tried to remedy the hazardous parking situation to the front and rear of the school by fixing lighting at the zebra crossing and extending road markings indicating where parking is prohibited.

But the kids are using National Road Safety Week to take their campaign to the wider community.

Chair of Guilsfield PTA, Jo Mercer, said: “I was watching Children in Need and saw a video showing how devastating it is when a child is involved in a RTC. Many of us have toddlers and small children and it could easily be a story which is repeated around many towns and villages everywhere.

“Let’s hope that this excellent initiative reduces risks for all pedestrians and well done to the children, PTA and local businesses for coming together to make our village a safer place for everyone.”

The kids have enlisted the support of local businesses - Londis, Costcutter, Derwen Garden Centre, King’s Head and The Oak - who are putting up posters urging drivers to keep their speed down, and other signage with #speeddown is being positioned at prominent spots in the village (pictured).

Meanwhile at school, as well as talking about traffic danger, the pupils have been drawing posters for a competition with the chance to win £25 vouchers from Brooks Cycles.

The Community Council are also hoping to start a road safety initiative and parents are looking at rewarding children to walk to school, possibly starting a ‘walking bus’ in order to decrease the amount of traffic around peak times.

National Road Safety Week, coordinated by Brake, runs through to November 26.